Internet Philatelic Dealers Association Inc
Online stamp dealing with ethical standards, valuable resources, and a supportive community for a safer and more enjoyable philatelic experience.
Online stamp dealing with ethical standards, valuable resources, and a supportive community for a safer and more enjoyable philatelic experience.
IPDA members gain a competitive advantage by adhering to our Code of Ethics, showcasing their commitment to transparency and ethical practices in the online stamp dealing industry.
IPDA provides its members with access to industry insights, trends, and best practices, empowering them to stay informed and adaptable in the ever-changing philatelic landscape.
Foster a vibrant community where knowledge, insights, and experiences are shared, thus enhancing the understanding and enjoyment of the hobby for all involved.
We understand the hurdles and uncertainties you face as you delve into the digital world of stamp dealing.
The challenges in establishing trust and credibility with collectors in the online marketplace, making it difficult for you to grow and maintain a good reputation.
The frustration and concern about the negative impact unethical dealers have on your industry, potentially causing you to doubt your own ability to succeed in the online philatelic market.
We understand the challenges and frustrations faced by stamp dealers in the online marketplace. You recognize the need for a trusted platform that can help you establish credibility and build a positive reputation with collectors.
We acknowledge the difficulties faced by dealers due to unethical practices and wants to support them in their pursuit of success.
We have experience and credibility as a non-profit organization established in 2002. We promote ethical standards within the philatelic community. By offering membership, resources, and a strict Code of Ethics, we demonstrate authority and commitment to improving the online stamp dealing industry. We collaborate with other philatelic associations and stay informed about industry trends, events, and regulations to ensure our members have the support and knowledge you need to succeed.
Enjoy achievements and growth with IPDA’s ethical principles and provided support
leading to a flourishing and secure online stamp dealing experience.
By joining IPDA, you can effectively avoid these potential pitfalls and failures within the online philatelic marketplace.
Missing out on valuable networking opportunities and industry connections that could lead to business growth and development.
Reputation damage due to association with unethical practices or untrustworthy dealers, which could result in decreased sales and customer dissatisfaction.
Not adapting to the evolving online marketplace, which could lead to reduced visibility, missed opportunities, and ultimately, business stagnation or decline.
Failing to stay informed about new stamp issues, changes in technology, and trends in the wholesale and retail of postage stamps, which could hinder their competitiveness in the market.
Legal or regulatory issues stemming from a lack of awareness or understanding of industry-related rules, such as import/export regulations, taxation laws, and mailing requirements.
IPDA services for members to excel in the online stamp dealing industry through enhanced knowledge, collaboration, and support.
For 2023 the joining fee is USD $25 and the annual membership fee is USD $25. Existing members pay a renewal fee of USD $25 or if a member renews for a 4 year period the fee is USD $75.
Yes, and we encourage that. You can download the logo as a jpg file from the Members area.
We do not have scheduled activities at the moment. We will keep Members advised of plans through the Monthly Newsletter. We welcome any suggestions from members for activities, remembering of course that with a global membership participation is generally limited to online participation.
We publish a monthly Newsletter in which we will tell members of IPDA activities. We also will be writing on the IPDA blog that is on the home page of the IPDA web site and will use this channel to communicate to members and others. We also keep members up to date by writing on our IPDA Facebook page, Linkedin, Twitter and Instagram pages which Members are encouraged to join and of course contribute to.
Yes, the IPDA has a Facebook page and a presence on Linkedin, Twitter and Instagram. Look for the links bottom left on each page footer.
Mostly we spend the membership fees on web site domain registration and other web site costs and general advertising. All expenditures are accounted for, we have a treasurer and an auditor, and we comply with the “Florida Not For Profit Corporation Act” including the appropriate annual filings. We also have a Business Plan for 2022 which sets out some initiatives which may require funding. Any such initiatives are only undertaken after the Board of Directors have approved them and the membership has endorsed them at the Annual General Meeting.
IPDA member – Chris McFetridge – Brixton-Chrome Inc.
The Retail and Auction Dealer That Cares About the Hobby
Brixton-Chrome Inc. is a boutique stamp dealer that operates a weekly online auction that closes every Wednesday at 11:30pm Atlantic time. The auctions regularly feature between 400-500 lots that all start at $1 and progress in $1 increments. There are no reserves, and every lot that has a bid sells to the highest bidder. What sets our auctions apart is our focus: our auctions always follow two or three themes, which can be either general, or specialized in nature.
We maintain a schedule of auctions that usually extends out several months, so that you can see what is coming up and when. You can access that schedule at: https://brixtonchrome.com/pages/tentative-auction-schedule-for-2021
Our customers come back week after week and many speak of how much fun they have bidding in the auction and filling holes. Our consignors comment that we get them far better prices for specialized material than many of the larger auction houses.
But we offer far more than just the auction. Our blogs contain, between them, over 400 informative, in-depth posts on a wide variety of specialized topics, and our stamp school contains pages which deal with a variety of general topics for the beginner, intermediate and advanced collector alike. We are also starting to add retail listings, as well as collections that can be purchased intact.
The company was started in 2010 by Chris McFetridge, a CPA with over 45 years of philatelic experience, who saw a large unmet need in the philatelic marketplace, where collectors of limited means were essentially locked out of most larger auctions, due to the minimum lot sizes being very large, but who also could not count on the accuracy of many online stamp descriptions on platforms like Hipstamp and E-bay. After operating part time for several years, Mr. McFetridge made the bold decision to step down from his partnership position to take the business full time in 2015.
Mr. McFetridge accepted an appointment to the Board of the Royal Philatelic Society of Canada, where he is working with other board members to expand the reach of the organization and make the hobby more inclusive for all demographic groups.
Our over-arching goal is to expand the hobby, particularly in the area of modern material. Unlike a lot of our competitors, we do not believe in using old stamps for postage, opting instead to study and preserve them. Along the way we have made many discoveries and more importantly have inspired collectors to go back and take another look at their stamps with fresh eyes. This has allowed many collectors who thought they had hit a dead end, to continue to enjoy their collecting area and to continue to add material to it. We achieve this mission both through our auction offerings, which highlight the existence of newly discovered varieties, and then by our blog articles, which synthesize our experience and observations and the information available in the established literature.